slang

Very informal language usage that often serves to promote a feeling of group membership. It is not usually acceptable in formal speech or writing and includes expressions that may be impolite or taboo in conventional communication.

Forms of slang develop among particular groups (for example soldiers, teenagers, and criminals), and are often extended into more general use because social conditions make them fashionable or people have grown accustomed to using them. Some types of slang are highly transient; others may last across generations and gain currency in the standard language.

Slang is pervasive in its influence, and is passed on through popular culture via newspapers, magazines, pop music, television, the Internet, and other media. Slang usage can range from the alteration of a conventional word (for example, answering a question with ‘yeah’ instead of ‘yes’) to the formation of a new expression (for example, ‘Whassup?’ for ‘What are you doing?’). However, because slang is often vivid and suggestive, and associated with contentious attitudes and topics, many people find it disturbing or offensive.